Some Scars Can Be Forgotten
by TayMor
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke has scars from an abusive past. He's not the only one with scars. Dr Haruno Sakura has some too. So do the people around them. When Sasuke's scars are revealed to Sakura, can she forget her own long enough to help him forget his? And can Sasuke allow her to break through his scar tissue long enough to break through hers? AU, Non Massacre. SasuSaku other pairings
1. To Party or not to Party

**So… I decided to try another Sasuke-related AU Angst-type story. Let's see how much you like this one… Might just be random scenes… do you call them drabbles? Only I highly doubt each one would be less than 1500 words. They will kinda link though. Review please and give me ideas! I am trying to reach 30 of these for starters, but hopefully around 50! (^_^)**

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**1: To Party or Not to Party**

"You know, just in case you haven't noticed, rejecting a woman is _not_ the best way to gain her attention, and you did it _again_," Naruto said to his best friend as they walked away from the pretty pink-haired doctor. He turned around to give Dr. Haruno, who was still standing in the spot where Sasuke had rejected her, one last glance. "And she's hot… and you like her…Why the hell did you refuse to go to her party anyway?" Naruto asked, turning his gaze to his dark-haired companion. A gentle breeze ruffled Sasuke's black locks as the two men made their towards the Konoha Hospital parking lot.

"Just… shut up, dobe," Sasuke groused in reply, not having a satisfactory response to Naruto's question. It wasn't that he didn't like Haruno Sakura, because he did… it was just… it would never work. It was just impossible for it to work. She would take one look at him, and she would know… and then she would pity him… and their relationship would fall apart because he didn't want anyone's pity.

"Dude, it's just a party. You don't have to get in bed with her… You know, speaking of that… are you gay? Because I've never seen you actually go out with girls-" a horrified expression overtook the blonde's features. "Do you like _me?_ Because you go out with me _a lot_ and-"

"NO, baka…" Sasuke responded, scowling. "_If, _and only if I was gay, you wouldn't be hot enough for me." Sasuke hoped it would take his easily distracted friend off the subject of Haruno-san.

"What d'you mean 'not hot enough'? I am plenty hot, thank you very much! Do you _see _the amount of girls I get?" Naruto retorted, a grin on his face.

"Precisely my point," Sasuke replied, chuckling beneath his breath.

"You're just trying to push me off the topic of _Sa-ku-ra-chan,_" Naruto said teasingly. "I can't go to that party if you're not going… and I am going, which means _you_, Nakama-kun, are going," Naruto said decisively.

"I told you, I'm not going, and that's final." Sasuke reached into his pocket and pressed the button on his key to disarm his car.

* * *

Why then, was he at Sakura's party? He'd stopped calling her Haruno-san in his mind a long time ago… which was a bit disturbing. The music was booming, there were people gyrating in every corner of the large house, and there was a lot of liquor in circulation. There was no way she would find him in this crowd so-

"Uchiha-san! You made it," Sakura called, even though she sounded less than pleased… more like panicked. Which was strange, since she had been trying to get him to this party for weeks now. Not that this was exactly his scene; he wasn't really one for crowds.

"My schedule… freed up," Sasuke said, walking with her out to the outer deck where it was quieter. It wasn't that he wanted to be alone with her – he told himself – it was just hard to converse inside where the noise was close to deafening. They were walking alongside the pool now, which was surprisingly empty considering the level of partying that was going on inside the house.

"Well, I am surely glad to see you. I had not imagined that you would actually come," she said softly. She was beautiful. It would go nowhere. Sasuke reached for his second response, because the first one would give her false hopes.

"I hadn't really wanted to come. This is not really my scene, but Naruto wanted to come, so… you know, friendship…" His tone came out a lot more stilted than he had intended, and suddenly what he said sounded more like a veiled insult than a platonic, vague statement… and now that he thought about it, it didn't really matter what tone he had used, it was all wrong. She stiffened, and was about to respond, when a blonde-headed ball of energy careened into Sasuke from behind, sending him into the pool with a gigantic splash. Sasuke didn't like swimming… he had phobias… phobias that stemmed from abusive parents and…

Water was all around him, and he barely felt the abrasive texture of the bottom of the pool as his bare calves rubbed against it. There were too many bubbles. He couldn't see anything distinctly, and his body was spinning slowly in the water, but at weird angles that disoriented him. Panic started to rise rapidly inside him, his heartbeat increasing swiftly as the impenetrable fear of death overtook him. Air whooshed from his nostrils as he began to hyperventilate, creating a stream of bubbles that exited his nose along with a muted underwater gurgle. His lungs were burning, and he squeezed his eyes shut against the fear and the burn of chlorine in his eyes.

* * *

_Sasuke was flying through the air, away from the safety of flat land, and crashing into the deep end of the pool._

"_Swim, boy, or you're gonna drown. I'm not coming in there after you," his father shouts from the edge of the pool. This is the last thing Sasuke hears before he hits the water surface hard enough for it to sting the flesh on his five-year old body, and he goes under. The bubbles swirl around him and he can't see anything. He cries for the mother he has never known, but all that comes out is an indistinguishable, watery scream, and his mouth fills with water. It tastes slightly sweet with a bitter tinge, and reminds him of the smell of new plastic. It fills his nose too as he tries to breathe, and he is caught in that weird place between floating and sinking. His little arms and legs begin to flail, sliding through the water, and he can't seem to grip the surface and climb out. _

_His head breaks the surface, and he coughs and sputters and tries to gasp for air at the same time, but mostly water fills his mouth. He swallows so much his throat feels bruised, and he might be crying, but it's hard to tell because it's wet all around. He struggles against the pull of the water, but the muscles in his arms and legs have already begun to tire and burn. _

"_Dad!" he tries screaming; maybe his dad will come and get him after all. "Please!" he manages before his head sinks below the surface again, his little arms splashing and slapping at the water's surface. He is all the way in the centre, and the edge of the pool looks way too far away for him to reach. More water goes into his nose and mouth, burning as it goes down, and his little lungs are screaming for oxygen that he can't seem to provide. This time, when he slips under, he doesn't come back up._

* * *

Sasuke's hand broke the surface of the water as he kicked frantically. Air. He needed air. His head surfaced next, his arms and legs working desperately to keep his body close to the surface. He felt like he was five again; helpless and struggling in front of _Sakura._

"I can't…" he managed before his head dipped under the surface again, and the sheer panic almost completely clouded out the utter embarrassment. Almost. There was a flash of pink, and an arm unceremoniously locked around his throat. For a short second, there was no movement, and then he was gliding backwards. He felt his back hit the edge of the pool, and then he was being pulled from the depths of the pool.

Sakura saw Sasuke begin coughing and spluttering as soon as his back hit the ground at the edge of the pool. She moved into doctor mode, pushing him onto his side and sticking her fingers in his mouth to clear any foreign items. He was coughing up water and his eyes were suspiciously red and disoriented, but he didn't need any sort of respiratory aid. Unfortunately; she would have liked to press her lips to his… even in an instance such as this. Sakura had almost laughed when he had dropped into the pool, but her humor and her growing dislike of the Uchiha heir had disappeared as soon as she realized that he couldn't swim.

She helped him to his feet and steered him away from the gathering crowd, discreetly blocking any view of his face. A woman had her pride, but a man… oh, theirs was a whole different ball game altogether… especially Uchiha Sasuke's. Steering him quickly up the stairs and to her room, brushing past curious party-goers and squeezing through the press of the crowds in her home, Sakura was acutely aware of the bruising grip he had on her hand. She could feel his thundering heartbeat even through his back.

"Hey, calm down. It's going to be okay," she murmured over and over again. Sakura pushing him to a sitting position on the bed, very aware of the fact that his painful grip had only shifted to her waist – she was most likely going to bruise from it – and began unbuttoning his shirt. He was hyperventilating, breathing hard and muttering unintelligible words. His eyes were locked onto her throat, but were unfocused and panicked. She pulled his wet shirt off his soaking torso and her heart stopped and her chest tightened when she saw the scars. There were _so many!_

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**So, what do you think? Do I go with drabble style? Or... novel style? I have no idea. Please review and let me know what you think... Also, suggestions and critiques welcome!**


	2. Cash Flow

**So I decided to go drabble style, with a sort of background cohesiveness to link it all together, in a novel-esque manner…. Thank you for the reviews!**

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**2: Cash Flow**

Comfort was what Sasuke was craving, though he would never admit it, even to himself. He would not so much as think it, but there was awareness in himself that craved it, and Sakura was giving it right now. He wouldn't complain. He didn't need anything else. Her aura alone was warm and enveloping. She had seen him, but she hadn't said a word, and that meant more to him than anything.

The guests had long since left, and the sun had risen, and he knew she must be hungry by now, but she hadn't left him, and that was all he needed. She hadn't said much either, which he was thankful for… she had just sat there next to him and let him hold her… and she didn't make him feel awkward about it either. Even now, he was gripping her tightly, his chin resting on the top of her head, his arms under hers; one reaching up her back so his hand could grip her shoulder, and the other wrapping round her waist… and they were just breathing. His heart had stopped racing, and the panic had edged away, and had been replaced with something much more muted… resignation.

Sasuke became suddenly aware of the sunlight streaking through the window and rubbed his eyes groggily. He sat up in the bed and ran his hand through his hair. He'd spaced out. He'd slept over, but he hadn't slept… The fear of the world of torment his dreams usually were was enough to keep him wide awake all night. He somehow knew this would all be so much harder if Sakura had left him for even a moment. It was a pity; a pity that it would never work. He looked over to where she lay curled up in fetal position, her pink hair fanning out on the bed. Somehow, sometime, somewhere, she would tire of him… she would pity him… and she would still leave. He didn't want her to go.

* * *

_Elsewhere…_

For someone that was surrounded by impossibly rich friends, Uzumaki Naruto had a serious cash flow problem. He stared at the receipt that came from the ATM and ran his hand through his blonde hair with a sigh of frustration.

'You have a balance of R 38.00 in your account.'

Naruto leaned his head back and groaned aloud. Thirty-eight ryou? Really? A flash of memory of what could have been his pushed into his brain. He could have been up there with the Uchihas, the Hyuugas and the other monetarily advanced families in Konoha, but at what cost?

_"It is simple, Naruto-kun. It shouldn't be that hard of a decision," Kurama says, a smile on his lips but a soulful expression in his eyes. Betray the people that had raised him for money? Hell no. Naruto had been treated pretty well in the care of the Sarutobi household. After all, they had fed him, clothed him and sent him to school, and that was more than he could expect if he had been on his own. "I'm doing this for you," Kurama says softly, one dark orange eyebrow raised beseechingly. "I have your best interests at heart." The redhead stalks closer to where Naruto stands with clenched fists. "You see, Hiruzen-san has no one else to give his considerable wealth to, and he has left almost his entire coffers in your name. Should… ill fates… befall him, you would be a very rich man, Naruto," Kurama continues._

_"No," Naruto replies stoutly, trying not to show surprise at the fact that Hiruzen-san had decided to leave him anything at all. He hadn't exactly been the best of persons to take in. "I could never do that to Hiruzen-san," Naruto declares, squaring his seventeen-year old shoulders. Kurama does not look surprised. _

_"You see, Naruto, I expected this. I had expected you to at least take the initiative without me telling you the hurtful part. At least think about it." Kurama has an almost plaintive look in his eyes as he places his hand on Naruto's shoulder and looks him deep in the eye._

_"No," Naruto replies again, with utter certainty ringing in his voice. "I could never be a part of anything that could hurt Hiruzen-san." Kurama looks away, a slightly reluctant expression in his eyes. Kurama had been an almost permanent attachment for as long as Naruto had known himself. Naruto knew he was not always a good influence, but dammit, Kurama had always been there for him. He trusted the red-head probably more than he should, but Kurama hadn't turned his back on him once._

_"Naruto, I told you from the moment I saw the house that it was likely the people in these circles wouldn't like you much. I tried to shield you from it all as best I could, but there is only so much I can do." He is trying to soften the blow of the words he was going to say next, and Naruto stiffens in preparation. Kurama looks up at the ceiling and blinks rapidly. "The relatives that Hiruzen-san does have hate your very existence, Naruto, particularly because Hiruzen-san seems to like you so much. They found out about his will, and they were livid. I… I overheard them, alright? They are planning to kick you to the curb. Kick you to the curb." Kurama emphasizes the end of the sentence and pauses when Naruto frowns in disbelief._

_"Naruto, you're seventeen now, mate, and if Hiruzen-san yields, you will be out on the streets. You have no job, your high school credentials are far too low to get you a decent job, and everyone already associates you with the Sarutobi family. If you get kicked out, everyone will know, and the general public will hate you more than they already do since Hiruzen-san is so damn popular and well respected."_

_"All the more reason for me to try and stay. Maybe if I am better…" Naruto tries._

_"It's way too late for that now, Naruto. Tell me, how could you possibly be of aid to these people?" Kurama leans forward, his eyes wide and slightly frantic. "What is there? You're not nearly qualified enough to help in the business, and if you do take a position there, everyone will think it's just because Hiruzen-san is your foster father. I am sorry mate, but you don't exactly have many options. Unless you want to just run away before they can kick you out, and go hide somewhere. Why not just… help Hiruzen-san on… then you can actually do something with yourself. You can send yourself to college, find some sort of worthy investment or something, and be the grieving foster son. It's better this way. Please say you will at least think about it," Kurama almost begs, his dark golden eyes wide, and his brows furrowed. Naruto turns his head away from his good-looking friend and tugs uncomfortably at the hem of his shirt. Everything Kurama is saying is true, of course. Hiruzen-san was old… it would not be too much of a shock if he died. He didn't want to hurt the old man, but he wasn't Hiruzen's family… heck, it would be more socially acceptable if Hiruzen-san passed his fortune to his nephew Asuma. Hiruzen-san was old, and it stood to reason that under constant pressure from the rest of his family elders and even business advisors, he would buckle and Naruto would be out on the streets again._

_"Fine, I'll… I'll think about it," Naruto says, already planning to take the escape option and save Hiruzen-san the trouble of having to tell him that it was time for him to go. He would just disappear one day and not return… that way would be better than being a threat to Hiruzen-san's life. His heart is heavy and a headache pounds in his head as he fights the burn in his eyes. _

Naruto felt the familiar burn behind his eyes when he thought of that night. It had been a disaster. Not only had he been foolish to listen to Kurama, even though what he had said was perfectly logical, but he still shouldn't have listened… and he shouldn't have said what he'd said either, because Asuma had heard, and things had gone south from there. It turned out that Hiruzen had _not_ been planning on giving in to his family, but when Asuma told him about what Kurama and Naruto had appeared to have been planning, the old man had finally listened to his family; the Sarutobi was an astute old thing, and had known that Asuma wasn't lying… Naruto never even got the chance to defend himself to Hiruzen-san once word got out to the old man's security team, and the very thing Naruto feared would happen happened because of something _he_ had said.

Naruto forced the thoughts out of his mind and pushed out of the ATM booth, crumpling the receipt in his fist and tossing it at a nearby garbage can without looking. A cleared throat caught his attention, and he turned to face a beautiful blonde dressed from head to toe in purple… not that there was much actual fabric on her slim body. Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously, hinting at trouble Naruto hadn't much time for today… his bills were due, rent on his apartment was _over-_due, he needed groceries… and he only had thirty-eight ryou. He wasn't really in the mood for Yamanaka Ino at the moment, despite how shockingly gorgeous she looked today.

"Ahem, Naruto-kun… you _do_ know littering is bad, right?" she purred, nudging at the crumpled piece of paper - that had somehow missed the garbage can - with her foot. Naruto gulped… and _what a foot_. Ino had the best legs in Konoha and she knew it.

"Ah, Ino, give a guy a break," Naruto groaned, scratching the back of his head and sighing. He really wasn't of the disposition currently to be faced with the Yamanaka woman's obvious wealth. It had not occurred to him to ask one of his friends for a loan, which would definitely not be approved by any bank with a lick of sense since he was… between jobs, at the moment. "I meant for it to go in there, and you know it." Ino grinned at his deflated stance and tone.

"What is this anyway?" she mused out loud, slowly bending over to pick the paper up. Naruto felt his face flush slightly when faced with the rather stunning sight of her legs when she bent at the waist… and how damned sexy the curve in her back was, and the way her blonde hair swished over her bare shoulder as she leaned forward… Naruto shot a glance skyward. She went back to standing position very gracefully, but Naruto wasn't looking… he couldn't. "Thirty-eight ryou… wait, what the HELL? Naruto!" Ino burst out suddenly. Naruto felt his face flush with embarrassment.

"Damn it, Ino, you should know not to snoop in other people's business…" Naruto moaned, looking away from her again. Ino stalked over to him and grabbed his arm.

"That's it. You've been bouncing around on low for _far_ too long, Naruto, and I will be damned if I stand by the sidelines and watch without _doing_ **_anything_** about it!" the Yamanaka snapped fiercely, blue eyes fiery and determined. "You're staying with me until you get back on your feet, and you better not even _think_ of objecting, do you understand me?" she continued, grabbing Naruto by the collar and jerking him closer to her with a strangely strong grip. Naruto nodded mutely. It was not generally like him to cave like this, especially over something like money and friendship, but he had no better options presently.

"Ino, I'll p-"

"_Shut up, Naruto,"_ Ino growled fiercely, cutting Naruto off. The Yamanaka was positively pissed off at how hard Naruto made it for people to help him, especially when they _really wanted to._ It was like he had some sort of sensor and a defense system against help, and she was sick of it. She had been trying to give the guy a break for so damn long now, and he had always found a way to brush it off without accepting any of her aid. The time for games was done now, and she was going to help him _whether he liked it or not._ Ino was not really a selfish or shallow person, despite the 'wealthy-people' stereotype that had been attached to her, but it was only an added bonus in helping Naruto that the guy was effortlessly steaming _hot…_

* * *

Sakura opened her eyes to find herself alone. It was almost midday, judging by the sunlight streaming through the windows. Sakura rubbed her eyes, disconcerted. She remembered with a start the happenings of the night before and sat up suddenly, looking about the room frantically. Where was Sasuke? A small white note on the bedside table caught her attention. There, in a masculine script, the stalks long and the circles slightly italicized, were two words written in black ink.

'Thank you.'

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**So what do you think of this? I brought out a pairing I have never attempted before, NaruIno… just thought I might dabble with some pairings in my drabble… you may never know which ones you might see, because let's face it… this series is to be about scars, and pretty much everyone has those, ne? Also, I was thinking it might present the opportunity for some humor maybe! If there are any pairings you all want to see, do not hesitate to let me know! (^_^)**


	3. Bittersweet Greeting

**Hello again! Thanks for the hits and reviews! Credit to Psuedobeast for the title and idea!**

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**3. Bittersweet Greeting**

The clouds were moving westward. That was a good sign. Many people have superstitions about luck; rabbit's feet, pennies on the road, that special sock, that unwashable jersey... Well Nara Shikamaru had clouds; westbound clouds, to be exact. Surgery went well when clouds moved west. He shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position on the hard concrete roof of the Konoha Hospital's Surgical Wing then took a bite of his sandwich. Surgery was a drag, but somebody had to do it, and if it wasn't him, there would be way too many deaths. In any case, he had to be a surgeon; because his mother was troublesome and would have his ass if he'd not completed medical school... he'd really wanted to be something simple... like a traffic cop or a sign installer or something equally easy to perform... but no... his mother wanted him to be a neurosurgeon, and he _had_ to end up being exceptionally good at it... troublesome.

Regardless of all that, the roof was a great place to hide. The interns didn't know about it, and the rest of his colleagues didn't have the keys... because he'd stolen all seventeen copies. And it was quiet. Traffic was some twenty storeys below him, so the noise was more soothing than annoying. Except for the bikes. Shikamaru took another bite of his sandwich and focused on the cloud that looked exactly like a ten-blade... until it changed into a frog. Yes, bikes were annoying. Loud. Like that one passing now. It was so annoyingly loud. It was too loud. The distance from the road should have made it much quieter than it was, so what was special about this particular bike? Shikamaru felt a slight awareness before his sight was blotted out by a large obstruction passing overhead. Heat washed over his face even as his eyes widened in shock. The sound was deafening at such close proximity. A bike. The bike's tires slammed into the concrete mere inches from Shikamaru's face with such force he felt the vibrations shooting through his face and skull.

_'What the hell?'_ he thought, his eyes wide. The shock and adrenaline passed very swiftly however, as soon as he realized he was not in danger anymore. The bike swerved away from his face and screeched off before coming to a halt a respectable distance away. Shikamaru sent a cursory glance at the disturber of his peace, and decided that this would indeed be troublesome.

"Whoohoo!" the newcomer exulted, resting a booted foot on the roof and kicking down the bike-stand. "That was awesome!" It was female. Damn. Males were easier to get rid of. She would leave if he ignored her, right? That was his best, least troublesome option. "Oh my gosh, did you _see _that? It worked!" The motorist stepped off her bike and reached for her helmet, pulling it off and shaking out her hair. Shikamaru was momentarily stunned by the silky blonde hair swirling around her face, then remembered that she was going to be troublesome and got over it. He turned his face back to the clouds. They were still moving west. Good. He took another bite of his sandwich.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" the woman yelled, her voice slightly lower toned than that of an average female, with a huskiness Shikamaru found remarkably less annoying than usual. He turned his head so he could see her.

She was wearing faded jeans and black boots that stopped roughly two inches below her knees. A leather biker jacket adorned her top, complete with silver studs and buckles. She looked good. She was pretty too, but not the fine featured, stereotypical beauty. She looked natural. Her eyes were pretty, and her mouth... especially her mouth.

"You nearly killed me," Shikamaru said on a sigh before biting his sandwich again. Eating was a drag. Pity he would die if he didn't eat. She went silent. Good. The sound of her boots crunching on the concrete got louder as she approached him. Troublesome. He felt rather than saw her kneel beside him, and then she blocked his view of a particularly interesting cloud by sticking her face over his. To make matters worse, her hair fell around their faces like a slightly fruity-smelling curtain and her green eyes refused to allow his dark brown ones to break her pissed off gaze. She blinked, and Shikamaru found himself watching her long blonde eyelashes.

"Are you always such a limp dick?" she snapped, managing to look annoyed and amused at the same time. Shikamaru raised one eyebrow at her crass tone and smiled.

"I happen to be very good in bed, but I keep it a secret," Shikamaru returned, his tone bland. Her gaze turned mocking.

"Ooh, sensitive, are we? Let me guess, you want them to love you for your personality?" she sneered, still looking amused. Shikamaru focused seriously on her before rolling his eyes. She was actually waiting for a response.

"It's too troublesome to try to fend off women that get clingy after sex. Such a drag, so I just don't let them know." Her lids dropped to a deadpan stare.

"So... how do you take care of your... needs?" She questioned, one eyebrow raised. Shikamaru grinned.

"I have very good hands," he replied. He snickered at the disgusted look that came over her face. "I'm a surgeon," he clarified, chuckling under his breath. "Neurosurgeon. Surgery is all the adrenaline I need."

"I beg to differ," she objected. "Surgery can't possibly give you what a woman can."

"Mmm," Shikamaru mumbled. "But it doesn't run after you when you're done. At least, mine don't... because I'm that good."

"Sounds like your business is one that requires luck," she said over a grin. "Mine is too. I engineer and develop race-track ramps." Shikamaru refused to answer her, hoping she would leave soon... his half hour break would soon be over. "Let me see if you're as good as you say," he thought he heard her mumble before her glossed lips were sliding over his.

He parted his lips and slightly lifted his head and kissed her back, not because it was less troublesome to do so... but because... wait... why was he even ...? Shikamaru prized himself on being someone that could think no matter what the situation was... but he was having a damned hard time now! Her mouth tasted like mint gum, and her mouth was hot and wet and... and he was holding her head, his fingers sliding in her hair and his back lifting off the concrete roof so he could reach her easier. They pulled back with a slight, wet smack.

"So you _aren't _always a limp dick," she breathed, pulling away from him. Instead of responding, Shikamaru lay back down on the roof and levelled a blank stare on her face. Inside, however, his brain was a mess. "Good luck on your surgeries," she smirked, standing and walking back over to her bike. She sat on it and reached for her helmet. "Just so you know, I don't kiss every guy I meet... only the ones I nearly kill on rooftops of hospitals," she tossed his way before pushing her helmet on, starting her bike and veering off, her bike jumping from the roof of the surgical wing to the paediatric wing. Troublesome.

The clouds were still moving westwards. Shikamaru allowed his eyes to close. She was a damned good kisser.

* * *

Damn. Damn, damn, damn. Five precious minutes shaved off his break did not make for a happy Shikamaru. Not at all. Okay, so the random kiss had almost made up for it, but he was admittedly reluctant to go back downstairs. But his pager was beeping. Loudly. Five minutes before his break time was up. Damn.

If he could just ignore his pager... but he couldn't. Shikamaru got to his feet and brushed off the seat of his pants. It was a high priority case, apparently. He reluctantly jogged to the door and down the stairs, taking the first elevator he could find.

Before Shikamaru could even step out of the elevator, an aide was waiting for him.

"Patient's name," the Nara drawled, trotting alongside the aide, who had a stack of files in his hand.

"Sabaku no Temari," the aide responded hurriedly. "She got caught between a head-on collision and..."

"_Between_ a head-on collision? How does one even do that?" Shakamaru, one eyebrow raised as they continued down the hallway, dodging nurses and other surgeons.

"Yes, Dr. Nara. Two automobiles collided and she was... well... in the middle. The MRI scans show a lot of blood leakage in the brain, and it's building pressure fast. Your interns are prepping her for surgery now," the aide responded, pulling open the door to the scrub room for Shikamaru.

Shikamaru moved inside and took up a face mask and put it on. He tied his personal scrub-cap over his long hair and began thoroughly washing his hands at the sink.

"She's pretty banged up," the aide continued, standing at the door to the OR so he could open it for Shikamaru when he was finished. "She has a couple broken ribs, her left arm is broken in two places and the femur of her left leg has two compound fractures. Dr. Kimimaro from Orthopedics will be working on those at the same time as your surgery," the aide went on, holding up the MRI scans.

"Dr. Haruno will also be in the room working on her organs since there is a lot of internal bleeding.." The aide pushed the door to the OR open as Shikamaru turned the tap off with his elbows and held his hands up, palms facing his chest. Shikamaru eyed the scans as he backed into the Operating Room, sharp eyes absorbing the information on the scans. "Good luck Dr. Nara," the aide finished.

Shikamaru gave a wan smile to the nurses and interns in the room, and nodded at the other resident surgeons, Dr. Kimimaro, and Dr. Haruno, whose pink hair was peeking from the back of her scrub cap.

"Guys, this is going to be such a drag," he muttered, as he always said before a surgery. The nurses smiled knowingly, some of the younger ones not even making an effort to hide their attraction to him. He ignored them, because they would make themselves troublesome if he payed them any mind.

"Miko-san, let me see who it is we are working on..." he mumbled as he approached the operating table. Akari Miko, the anaesthesiologist pulled back the cloth covering the patient's face. Shikamaru's eyes widened as he recognized the girl from earlier. He gave her unconscious face a sad grin.

"Hello again, Temari-san."

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**It is a bit of a hack job, sorry, but I managed to keep it to the pairing and title Psuedobeast had in mind! (^_^) *feels a little proud of self***

**I am terribly terribly sorry for taking so very long to update, but TayMor has been a busy busy bee! Haha! I hope you guys forgive me and keep reading! As always, Reviews fuel me, so let me know what you think!**


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